State Funded Rehab Centers in Philadelphia

How does state-funded addiction treatment work in Philadelphia?

State-funded treatment in Philadelphia is care paid with federal and Pennsylvania money that the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs passes to county Single County Authorities, which contract with providers. The department combines the main federal block grant for addiction prevention, treatment and recovery services with state funds.

Since 2018 the department has also sent federal State Opioid Response grants to the counties. Philadelphia’s opioid settlement dollars help fund a 20-acre city campus that combines housing, recovery support and primary care. Residents usually begin with an assessment, either at a city-listed assessment center or through the 24/7 Community Behavioral Health line.

Public and private programs in Pennsylvania follow the same licensing rules. The department licenses every freestanding drug and alcohol treatment facility, and recovery houses that take public funds or referrals need its license as well. Each listing shows the license, accreditation and levels of care a program reports, from detox to methadone clinics.

Eligibility depends on residency, income and whether existing insurance covers the needed care, and intake staff make that call at assessment. Bringing photo ID, proof of a Philadelphia address and recent income records helps. Many uninsured adults should apply for Medical Assistance first, since Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid in 2015.

How do I apply for state-funded treatment in Philadelphia?

Most Philadelphia residents start with an assessment. One way is a voluntary assessment center listed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS). Another is Community Behavioral Health non-emergency services at 1-888-545-2600, open 24/7. DBHIDS lists centers on Spring Garden Street, West Lehigh Avenue, East Kensington Avenue and East Allegheny Avenue. The Kensington and North Philadelphia sites sit near SEPTA’s Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines. Statewide, the PA Get Help Now helpline at 1-800-662-4357 answers 24/7 and takes texts at 717-216-0905. The helpline uses the same number as the national treatment referral line.

Who qualifies for publicly funded care?

Eligibility in Philadelphia depends on residency, income and whether your insurance covers the care you need. No published income limit for the city was found, so intake staff decide at assessment. Bring photo ID, proof of a Philadelphia address, recent income records and any insurance cards you hold.

Who gets priority if there is a wait?

Federal block grant rules give pregnant people and people who inject drugs priority admission at programs that receive block grant money. Under the same federal rules, a person who injects drugs should be admitted within 14 days of asking. The limit can stretch to 120 days if interim services, such as counseling and referrals, start within 48 hours. Listings for pregnant women show where pregnancy-specific care is offered.

What if I qualify for Pennsylvania Medicaid instead?

Many uninsured Philadelphia adults should apply for Pennsylvania Medical Assistance first, because the state expanded Medicaid on January 1, 2015. In Philadelphia, Medicaid behavioral health care runs through Community Behavioral Health. Physical health plans in the Southeast zone include Keystone First, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell and UPMC for You. See Medicaid rehab for how that coverage works. You can also compare sliding scale programs and free rehab listings.

Publicly funded programs in Philadelphia sit close to water. Of these programs, 96 percent are within 25 miles of a river, at a median of 3.7 miles, most often the Cooper River or the Schuylkill River. For options across Pennsylvania, see state-funded rehab in Pennsylvania, or browse all Philadelphia treatment listings. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call the city’s Suicide Crisis and Intervention Hotline at 215-686-4420, 24/7.